Trophy Tracker: Werenski of Blue Jackets choice for Norris as best defenseman

To mark the three-quarter point of the 2024-25 regular season, NHL.com is running its third installment of the Trophy Tracker series this week. Today, we look at the race for the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the top defenseman in the NHL as selected in a vote by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been one of the surprise teams in the NHL this season, and defenseman Zach Werenski is a big reason why.

The 27-year-old has already set career highs in assists (49), points (69), time on ice per game (26:56) and shots on goal (223), and has tied his high in goals (20), power-play goals (five), power-play points (21) and game-winning goals (four). He's helped the Blue Jackets (31-25-8) currently sit in a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference after the team finished 29th in the NHL standings last season (27-43-12) and 31st in 2022-23 (25-48-9).

"I think he's been unbelievable carrying the load the whole season," Columbus defenseman Jake Christiansen said Monday. "He's been so consistent. … He's been great in the locker room. With and Erik Gudbranson going down early, [Werenski] had to step up and improve his leadership role."

Werenski leads the NHL in ice time per game and is second among defenseman in points. In his eight previous seasons, he never finished higher than eighth in voting for the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the best defenseman in the NHL. That should change this season.

"You don't realize how good he is until you're actually watching him on a day-to-day basis," defense partner Dante Fabbro told the Blue Jackets website last month. "He is that elite of a defenseman. I see it every single day with just the way he goes about his business and how he leads the team. He leads off the ice, obviously, but on the ice is a huge attribute to his hard work and his dedication to the game.

"He doesn't cheat the game at all. He plays the right way every single game. For myself and my teammates, (his impact) doesn't shock us at all. He's easily one of the best defensemen in this league and he's definitely in that Norris conversation."

Werenski received 73 points, including nine first-place votes from NHL.com's 16-person panel to edge out Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (70 points; seven first-place votes) as the pick for the Norris at the three-quarter point of the season. Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks was third (48 points).

"I think (of him) as a Norris contender," Christiansen said. "Obviously, we're all rooting for him in our room. He's been so amazing. He's done so much this season with maybe less help than other guys.

"He's up and down the ice. He's unbelievable offensively, but at the same time, he's probably the guy you run out there in the last minute defensively, so we rely on him in all situations. He plays 30 minutes a night. so pretty much half the game he's out there contributing on both ends of the rink."

For his part, all that matters for Werenski is winning and helping the Blue Jackets qualify for the postseason, where it hasn't been since 2020. After he had two assists in a 7-3 win against the New York Rangers on Sunday to become Columbus' all-time leader in assists, he was unimpressed.

"Trying to enjoy the year, enjoy the moment, enjoy the spot we are in as a team and just keep going and play my game," Werenski said. "It's one of those things where I really don't care. As bad as that might sound, I just want to keep helping this team win."

Werenski, who recently had his 22-game home point streak end, also led all scorers at the 4 Nations Face-Off last month, when he had six points (all assists) for the United States.

"You look at the way Zach just took his game to another level, it seems like he should be in the conversation for an MVP for that team," said Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor, who played minor hockey with Werenski (2008-12), one season with him at the University of Michigan (2015-16), and was his teammate at the 4 Nations Face-Off. "That's just the type of player he is."

Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1-basis): Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets, 73 points (nine first-place votes); Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche, 70 points (seven first-place votes) ; Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks, 48; Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets, 13; Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning, 11; Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights, 7; Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes, 5; Ryan McDonagh, Tampa Bay Lightning, 3; Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars, 3; Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres, 3; Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings, 1; Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens, 1; Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild, 1; Adam Fox, New York Rangers, 1

NHL.com staff writer Jon Lane and columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika contributed to this report